BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to clearly specify which official would be made member secretary of the Conservation Reserve Management Committee constituted under the Wildlife Protection Act.A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi issued the order while hearing a PIL filed by the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake Bird Conservation Reserve Trust.
In an order dated August 24, the state government had said either the Assistant Conservator of Forests or the Deputy Conservator of Forests would be the member secretary of the committee. During the hearing on Tuesday, when the counsel for the government placed before the court a memo with the copy of the order, the counsel for the petitioner pointed out that one officer had to be specifically appointed as the member secretary.
The bench then directed the State government to modify the order and specify which officer would be made member secretary. The bench also said the committee must hold a meeting and take action to conserve the reserve and the member secretary must file a personal affidavit outlining the steps taken until September 30.
Govt money is public money: Bench
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the Karnataka State Bar Council to place on record a copy of the order regarding a grant of Rs 5 crore for the Covid-19 Advocate Relief Fund. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi directed the KSBC to place on record the order dated August 26, asking it to use some funds to assist advocates’ clerks. “As we observed earlier, the scheme has to be fair and transparent, considering the fact that the money transferred by the government is public money,” the bench said.